The Texas Secretary of State’s Office has given its blessing to Wichita County to use countywide polling places that offer voters more flexibility. But they won’t cast ballots at them in the March 6 Primary Election.

The county’s voting center program garnered a “successful” certification from the Secretary of State, so in future county elections – but not March 6 – residents can vote at any polling place, officials said at Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting.

“Come November, we will use countywide voting,” Wichita County Clerk Lori Bohannon said.

A top Wichita County Republican opposes countywide polling places in March and November.

“I realize that it may be more convenient for voters, but we’re looking out for the entire integrity of the process, and I just ask them to be patient,” Wichita County Republican Party Vice Chairwoman Annette Barfield said in a telephone interview.

A top Wichita County Democrat was pleased the county won a “successful” rating but disappointed his fight for countywide voting in primary races wasn't successful.

“The people wanted this, and we were trying to do what the people wanted,” Wichita County Democratic Party Chairman John Richie said.

Republican opposition to voting centers blocked them from use in the primaries. Political parties make the choices for primary elections such as polling places on Election Day. Primaries are the parties’ way of putting candidates on the ballot for the General Election – candidates chosen by voters.

Democrats and Republicans both must agree to the countywide voting system for it to be used in primaries, and they don’t in Wichita County.

On Primary Election Day on March 6, each voter will go to a designated polling place among 31 precincts.

Boyd and Barfield said they will use the same 31 precincts.

For early voting Feb. 20 through March 2, voters can cast a ballot at any of six locations as usual, Bohannon said. Wichita County officials are in charge of early voting. They also run the Nov. 6 General Election and plan to have countywide polling places on Election Day.

Richie urged residents to vote early.

“Hopefully, that will help folks who we’ve looked at to help with the voting center process,” he said. “That middle weekend, you can vote on Saturday and Sunday, and I would impress upon them to do that.”

He had considered legal action, aiming for countywide polling places in the primaries. But a conference call this month with Secretary of State representatives, county officials and Barfield changed his mind.

Barfield said state law is clear that both parties have to agree on voting centers for primaries.

Richie said Democrats were going to have to talk to the Legislature about correcting that.

He said state Democratic Party officials initially provided him with incorrect information about voting centers.

Barfield has said Republicans are concerned about voter fraud and how countywide voting affects the electronic voting system.

Richie said he still doesn’t understand why Republicans want to continue the old way of doing things. Concerns they brought up have been addressed, and he doesn’t think they’re revealing their real reasons for opposing voting centers, Richie said.

“I’m not here to make accusations. I just wish they’d give us a straight answer,” he said.

Republicans are actually disenfranchising their own voters, he said. Local Republicans had agreed to voting centers in a contract with the county, Richie said.

Barfield said the GOP platform opposes countywide polling places.

“The Republican Party has been opposed to the use of voting centers since they first started,” she said.

In other business, Justice of the Peace Janice Ralston Sons and Wichita County Judge Gossom presented a certificate of appreciation to Jeff Milam, her court clerk, for 15 years of service to Wichita County.